Why do I have to wait till mid February to get my refund?

Asked by: Dave Hyatt  |  Last update: August 12, 2025
Score: 4.8/5 (15 votes)

Why we hold your refund. By law, we can't issue EITC or ACTC refunds before mid-February. This includes your entire refund, not just the part that's related to the credit you claimed on your tax return. If you claim the EITC or ACTC, we may need more information from you about your return.

Why is my refund being held until mid-February?

mn0423: Congress mandated that every February returns with EITC and ACTC credits be delayed to give the IRS more time to receive information from employers about each employee's W-2, etc., so the IRS would have that information to help verify when reviewing these returns.

Why is the IRS not processing tax returns until Feb?

By law, the IRS cannot issue refunds before mid-February for returns that properly claim the advanced child tax credit or the earned income tax credit. The IRS must delay the entire refund, not just the amount associated with the credits.

Why is it taking so long for my tax refund to be deposited?

What's Taking So Long to Receive Refunds? If you don't receive your refund in 21 days, your tax return might need further review. This may happen if your return is incomplete or incorrect. The IRS may send you instructions through the mail if it needs additional information to process your return.

How do I know if my tax return has been flagged?

If the IRS decides that your return merits a second glance, you'll be issued a CP05 Notice. This notice lets you know that your return is being reviewed to verify any or all of the following: Your income. Your tax withholding.

What’s IRS Mid-February in 2023 - Here’s When Your Tax Refund Actually Will Be Issued

23 related questions found

What day of the week are tax returns deposited?

Day of the week for IRS refund deposits

The IRS typically processes tax refunds and executes direct deposit transactions within 21 days after accepting your tax return. It's common for the IRS to issue them on business days, from Monday through Friday.

How long can the IRS legally take to process your refund?

If you file a complete and accurate paper tax return, your refund should be issued in about six to eight weeks from the date IRS receives your return. If you file your return electronically, your refund should be issued in less than three weeks, even faster when you choose direct deposit.

How early will the IRS release refunds?

The IRS expects more than 140 million individual tax returns for tax year 2024 to be filed ahead of the April 15 deadline, the agency said. The IRS expects to issue most refunds via direct deposit in less than 21 days, according to the agency, but some returns may require additional review that takes longer to process.

Will IRS release refunds on Feb 15?

Early Filers: Expect A Delay In Your Refund

So, if you file on the first day, you might still be waiting until February 15 for your refund.

How long after a refund is approved is it sent?

If you e-filed your return and chose direct deposit to receive your refund, you'll usually receive your refund in 8-15 days. However, you should allow an extra 1-5 business days for your bank to process the funds. If you chose the Refund Transfer option, the refund will come from the Axos Bank®, not the IRS.

What does mid-February mean for taxes?

If you claim this credit, your refund may be delayed. By law, we must wait until mid-February to issue refunds to taxpayers who claim the Earned Income Tax Credit.

Should I be worried if my refund is still being processed?

If your refund status used to be your tax return is still being processed, but now the status says it is being processed, the IRS may have detected an issue in your tax return that could cause a delay in the release of your tax refund.

Is the IRS holding refunds with child tax credits?

We may be holding your refund for the following credits: Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Child Tax Credit (CTC)/Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), Premium Tax Credit(PTC) and the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC).

What time does the IRS send direct deposits?

Short answer: IRS sends electronic transfers to all financial institutions on Friday evenings to be posted the following Tuesday (Monday @ midnight) You can always check your pending transactions via online or mobile banking. It's been this way since 1987…

When to expect tax refund with child credit 2024?

For early filers: The IRS cannot send out refunds for returns claiming the additional child tax credit until mid-February, as per the law. If you go for direct deposit, file online, and make sure your return is error-free, the IRS says you should see your refund in your account by February 27, 2024.

Do refunds process on weekends?

Do Banks Process Refunds on Weekends? No, banks typically do not process refunds on weekends.

Why do I have to wait 180 days for my tax refund?

If the IRS is reviewing your return, the review process could take anywhere from 45 to 180 days, depending on the number and types of issues the IRS is reviewing.

What raises red flags with the IRS?

Another easily avoidable audit red flag is rounding or estimating dollar amounts on your tax return. Say, for instance, you round $403 of tip income to $400, $847 of student loan interest to $850, and $97 of medical expenses to $100. The IRS is going to see all those nice round numbers and think you're making them up.

How will I know if my refund was not approved?

The most convenient way to check on a tax refund is by using the Where's My Refund? tool on IRS.gov. Taxpayers can start checking their refund status within 24 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of the taxpayer's e-filed return.

How long does it take to get your tax refund back direct deposit Canada?

For example, if you electronically file your return to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) using NETFILE, you can expect to receive your refund (in most cases, via direct deposit) in as little as 8 business days (NetFile submissions to Revenu Québec take about 2 weeks to process).

What disqualifies you from earned income credit?

You can't claim the EIC unless your investment income is $11,600 or less. If your investment income is more than $11,600, you can't claim the credit. Use Worksheet 1 in this chapter to figure your investment income.

What time does the IRS update the refund status?

- You can start checking on the status of your return sooner - within 36 hours after you file your e-filed return or 4 weeks after a mailed paper return. It's Up-to Date! - It's updated every 24 hours - usually overnight -- so you only need to check once a day. There's no need to call IRS unless Where's My Refund?